Also on today’s menu:
Bristol Farmers’ Market To Resume
Hike In Pitman Town Forest
Migratory Bird Day This Saturday
An online program known as the New Hampshire Zoning Atlas allows users to look up the zoning restrictions in their town and neighboring towns to understand the shortage of affordable housing in the state. Researchers at St. Anselm College, with assistance from New Hampshire Housing and the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, created the state atlas which is the third of its kind in the country. It is part of an effort by the National Zoning Atlas collaborative to help people understand the housing problem.
The majority of New Hampshire towns do not allow houses to be built on small lots; many require between two and five acres per house. Some communities have requirements as high as 20 acres. Many also do not allow multiple families to live on small lots. Furthermore, although the New Hampshire Legislature passed laws requiring that towns allow manufactured homes, most towns have found ways around the law, such as setting high minimum lot size requirements. Only 9.9 percent of all developable land in the state allows for small-lot manufactured homes and parks.
Towns also have banned accessory dwelling units. Despite a 2016 law requiring that towns allow homeowners to convert parts of their homes or property into additional apartments, many towns have prevented those conversions through parking space requirements.
New Hampshire needs 23,000 new units to help stabilize housing and rental markets and bring down prices, according to New Hampshire Housing, and will need around 90,000 units by 2040 to meet the demands of rising populations.
Bristol Farmers’ Market To Resume
The Bristol Farmers’ Market and Crafts will resume under new management on May 13 at Mill Stream Park. The Farmers’ Market will continue on Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., through October 7.
Expect to see eggs, local meats, smoked cheese, seasonal vegetables and fruits, breads, desserts, jewelry, fly fishing lures, wooden products, and quilts, among other items.
Those wishing to participate may do so at a cost of $10. Contact Barbie Lukeman Antonides at 603-273-1058, or email bantonides54@gmail.com.
Hike In Pitman Town Forest
Kim Sharp of the Newfound Land Conservation Partnership will lead a guided hike in the Pitman Town Forest of Alexandria on Friday, May 12, at 9 a.m. It is the first of a series of summer hikes in the Newfound Watershed.
The Pitman Forest contains stone walls, the remains of buildings, and a variety of forest wildlife. The two-mile hike is classified as easy to moderate, with a few step-over streams.
Registration is required at NewfoundLake.org/events or 603-744- 8689.
Migratory Bird Day This Saturday
World Migratory Bird Day, Saturday, May 13, is one of two days each year in which birders observe the arrival and departure of seasonal bird species.
Tom McShane and Toby Sackton will lead a celebration at Grey Rocks Conservation Area in Hebron from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Participants will look for and listen to migratory birds as they explore the trails at Grey Rocks. Tom and Toby will share their tips for identifying the birds.
It is a drop-in event for anyone with an interest in exploring the natural world.
Do you have a story to tell?
The News Café is a virtual meeting place where, each weekday, we discuss the news of the day: local, statewide, national, and international.
Subscribers can share their knowledge, thoughts, and questions about any topic, and we may select some of those subjects for more in-depth analysis.
If you’re unable to pay but still want to receive all of the free public posts in your in-box, click the Subscribe button and select a free subscription.
Visit us at www.libertymedianh.org
Join in the conversation through chat or notes by downloading the Substack app or going to the online site.
Also see our new Substack news site, By The Way.